Friction box control mechanism for flat knitting machines



March 22, 1932. TEBO 1,850,520

FRICTION BOX CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28. 1929 5 Shets-Sheet l "WM/1M a,

INVEN TOR;

Wilma I. T6190,

I ATTORNEYS WITNESSES March 22, 1932. w. I. TEBO 1,850,520

FRICTION BOX CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EEK I Tile INVENTOR- Wi ZZIZJ/Z' I. T9210,-

" TORNEYS.

March 22, 1932. w TEBQ 1,850,520

FRICTION BOX CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES I N VEN TOR:

6 w M 22 I wzzbw l 721w ,i: 25 WWW TTORN E YS.

Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE WILIBUB I. TEBO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HAINE S HOSIEBY MILLS INC., 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL" VANIA FRICTION BOX CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Application filed September 28, 1929. Serial No. 395,817.

This invention relates to mechanism for controlling the action of the yarn carrier friction boxes of flat knitting machines, par- ;ticularly knitting machines employed in the manufacture of full fashioned hosiery.

Knitting machines of-the kind referred to are ordinarily equipped with a number of interchangeable yarn carriers for feeding yarnsdifi'ering in quality, material or color to the needles incident to knitting of different portions of stockings. To this end, the yarn carriers are secured to individual slide rods which may be selectively coupled to friction boxes on a friction box rod to receive reciprocatory movement within limits imposed by adjustable end stops embodiedin the narrowing mechanism of the machine. Heretofore it has been necessary to operate the friction release means associated with the friction boxes by hand in connecting said boxes to, or disconnecting them from the friction box rod. This operation required the exercise of alertness on the part of the knitters especially in view of the severa-lyarn changes necessary during the knitting of each stocking, and moreover consumed considerable time which could be more profitably employed in otherwise looking after the performance of the machines.

My invention is directed toward overcoming the recited drawbacks of previous practice through provision of a simple and reliable mechanism whereby all the operations essential to the interchange of yarn carriers are effectedautomatically.

I further aim to secure the foregoing advantages in a friction box control mechanism having the form of an attachment capable of being readily applied to standard types of flat hosiery knitting machines without entailing any changes either in their construction or normal mode of operation.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following in coordination with the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a partial cross section of a standard full fashioned hosiery machine conveniently embodying my friction .box control mechanism.

F ig. II is a fragmentary front elevation of the organization, on a somewhat larger scale, and viewed in the direction of the arrows 1141-1111 Fig. I.

tion box and the appurtenances associated with it. 1 Figs. IV and V are fragmentary detail illustrations, viewed as respectively indicated by the arrows IV-IV and V--V in Fig. III. Fig. VI is a detail sectional view, taken as indicated by the arrows VI-VI in Fig. 11; an

"Fig. VII is a detail sectional view, taken as indicated by thev arrows VIIVII in Fig. IV.

With more detailed reference first, more especially to Fig. I of these illustrations, one of the needle banks of the machine is indicated at N, the cooperating sinkers at S, and one of the selective yarn carriers at (I, there being ordinarily seven of such carriers mounted on individual slide bars B. These slide bars B have guidance in upward reaching brackets of the machine frame F; and, during the fashioning phases of the knitting cycle, said bars are restricted in their re-.

for endwise to and fro movement in bracket bearings A supported by the frame F, the

motion of said rod being fixedin extent and induced in a well known manner by means not illustrated. Mounted at intervals along the rod R are friction boxes such as indicated at 10, there being ordinarily one for each of the carrier bars B. As shown in Figs.

III-V, the friction box 10 is of the type wherein the body is made hollow to accommodate friction pads 11, 12 of leather or the like to contact with the rod R at opposite sides. The means for compressing the pads 11, 12 to grip the rod R comprises a shoe 13 which underreaches the pad 12, and which has upstanding centrally from-its opposite sides, ears 15 that serve as bearings for a cross shaft 16. A collar 17 with a bevel face in its periphery at 18 acts, in cooperation with a leaf spring 19 and the shoe 13, to edect compression of the pads 11, 12 so that the friction box 10 is obliged to move with the rod R until the carrier bar B with which it may happen to be connected at the time, by the slide latch shown at 20, is checked by end stops of the narrowing mechanism as aforesaid.- When on the other hand, the collar 17 is turned to the illustrated position, the pressure upon the friction pads 11, 12 is released to permit the box 10 to remain quiescent. The collar 17 thus constitutes a friction release means, for convenience of identification in the claims hereto appended.

For the purpose of operating the friction boxes 10 automatically in accordancewith my invention, I make provisions which in each instance include a rock shaft 21 which may be conveniently journalled, while restricted against endwise movement, in the friction rod bearing brackets A. Splined for sliding movement on'the shaft 21 is a bevel pinion 22 which is held with capacity for rotation in an arm 23 reaching laterally from the friction box 10, said arm being longitudinally split and its parts-clamped together over the circumferentially recessed hub 24 of the pinion 22 and the end boss 25 of the friction box by bolts 26, as shown in Figs. III-V. The pinion 22 meshes with a companion bevel pinion 27 fixed to one end of the cross shaft 16 on the friction box 10, and functions therefore as the actuating element for thefriction release means, i.. e., the collar 17. My invention further comprises a reciprocating element in the form of a bar-28 whereof the upper end carries a toothed rack 29 to mesh with. a spur pinion 30 which is fixed to the rock shaft 21 beyond the range of the friction box 10. The up er end of the reciprocating bar 28 is con ned to move in a guide block 31 with pivot ears 32 to engage the rock shaft 21 at opposite sides of the spur pinion 30. At its lower end, the i-eciprocating rod 28 is pivotally connected to an arm 33 having fulcrum support at 34 on a supplemental bracket 35 bolted to the lower longitudinal channel rail 0 at the rear of the machine frame F. The arm 33 is in the form of a bell crank, and, on its short extremity, carries a roller 36 which engages a groove 37 in a rotary cam 38 fast on an auxiliary master shaft 39 that extends the length of the ma chine. This master shaft 39 is journalled in bearings 40, having, for the purposes of adustment laterally, shanks 41 which are engaged in bosses 42 of brackets 43, the latter be ng bolted with provision for vertical adaesosao justment to the machine frame F, see Figs. I, II and V I. Mounted on the master shaft 39 is a ratchet wheel 45 which is adapted to be picked by a pawl 46 pivoted to an arm 47 capable of independent movement on said shaft. This arm s7 is connected, by means of a link 48, with an eccentric 19.011 the main cam shaft M of the machine so that the pawl 4:6 is constantly vibrated. The activity of the pawl 46 is however controlled by a guard 50 which is in turn mounted for independent movement on the shaft 39 and has a curved upper edge 51 to engage a roller 52 on the pawl, see Fig. I more particularly. As shown, the guard 50 is formed with a lateral arm 53 which is coordinated, by means of alink 54, with a lever 55 at one end of a rock shaft 56. This rock shaft 56extends transversely of the machine frame F, and is supported in supplemental bearings 57, 58 secured respectively to the horizontal channel rail 0 atthe rear of the machine frame and a horizontal angle bar P at the front of said 7 machine frame. On its forward end, the shaft 56 has secured to it an arm 59 with a roller 60 which is adapted to be undertravelled by special lugs 61 on the measuring chain of the machine and designated by the letter E. To support the chain E against sagging at the region where the lugs 61 contact with roller 60 I provide an idler wheel 62 which revolves freely on the stud 63 reachin outward from the bracket 58.

11 order to preclude drifting of the friction box 10 under drag of the friction pads 11, 12 ordinarily, I provide a locking means to positively hold the box 10 retracted in idle position at the end of its stroke in one direction. This locking means comprises, as shown in Figs. II-VII a collar 65 which is secured to the shaft 21, said collar having a projection 66 adapted to engage behind the downturned end 67 of a cooperative locking piece 68 fastened by means of screws 69 to the arm 23.

The operation of my invention is as follows: With passage of each of the special lugs 61 on the pattern chain E beneath the roller 60 on the arm 59, Fig. II, the shaft 56 is rocked and the movement communicated, by the link 54, to the pawl guard 50 whereof the upper edge 51 is accordingly retracted to permit a pick of the ratchet wheel 45 by the pawl 46. In this way the shaft 39 is intermittently rotated progressively until the offset in the groove 37 of the cam 38 is eventually brought into position to move the arm 33 when a downward pull is imparted to the rack rod 28 and counter clockwise rotation induced in the shaft 21 through the medium currently with rotation of the shaft 21 as just explained, the projection 66 on the collar 65 is moved beyond the downturned end 67 of the cooperating locking piece 68 to the end that the friction box 10 is freed to follow the rod R in moving the coupled bar B with its yarn carrier C back and forth to feed am to the needles in the known manner. uch feeding continues until the offset in the groove 37 of the rotary cam 38 on the auxiliary shaft 39 passes beyond the province of the roller 36 on the arm 33 and effecting release of the friction box 10. The cooperation of the various parts involved in the foregoing action is timed so .thatrelease of the friction box 10 occurs just as the latter reaches the end of its movement in the direction when through incident clockwise rotation of the shaft 21, the projection 66 of. the collar 65 re-engages behind the bending end 67 of the locking piece 68 on the friction box 10 to prevent subsequent drifting of the latter with l the rod R.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive.

mechanical means for automatically controlling the friction boxes 10 of flat knitting machines. The arrangement is unique in that by virtue of the splitting of the arm 23 attached to the friction box 10 and through formation of the eccentric 49 mounted on the main shaft M (see Figs. I and II) it can be attached readily to standard full fashioned hosiery machines without disturbing any of the or1ginal parts of such machines nor interfering with their normal operation. The

elements constituting the attachment, except i for the ratchet means whereby the shaft 39 is stepped about, are duplicated in accordance with the number of friction "boxes 10 embodied in the machine, the shaft 39 thus becoming a master shaft for .the several.

rotary cams 38 which are set in diiferent angular positions on saidshaft as required.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim: V 1. The combination in a flat knitting machine embodying a friction box rod, and a with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the friction box, and

positionally fixed means governed by the friction release actuating elemeasuring chain to operate the friction release actuating element.

3. The combination in a flat knittingmachine embodying a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod;

of friction box control mechanism including a rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the friction box, ,a positionally fixed shaft whereto the element aforesaid is splined for capacity to slide, and means governed by the measuring chain of the machine for rotating the shaft to elfect actuation of.

the friction release means.

5. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including afriction. release actuating. gear wheel carried by the friction box, a positionally fixed shaft whereon said gear is splined for capacity to slide, and means for rocking the shaft to effect actuation of the friction release means aforesaid. I

6. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating gear wheel carried by the friction box, a positionally fixed shaft whereon said gear issplinedfor capacity to slide, another gear wheel fast on said shaft, and means for driving the last mentioned gear wheel to effect actuation of the friction release means aforesaid. Y I

7. The combination in a flat knitting machinewith a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the friction box, a positionally fixed shaft whereon the element aforesaid is splined for capacity to slide, and a reciprocating member for rocking the shaft to effect actuation of the friction release means. I

8. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box controlmechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the member, a ratchet wheel associated with the.

friction box, a positionally fixed shaft where on the element aforesaid is splined for capacs ity to slide, a reciprocating member for rocking the shaft toefl'ect actuation of, the friction release means, and a rotary cam for reciprocating said member;

9. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the friction box, a positionally fixed shaft whereon the element aforesaid is splined for capacity to slide, a reciprocating member for rocking the shaft to effect actuation of the friction release means, a rotary camfor reciprocating said member, a ratchet wheel associated with said cam, a constantly vibrating pawl, and means for governing the activity of the pawl.

10. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a measuring chain; a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod;" of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element carried by the friction box, a positionally fixed shaft whereon the element aforesaid is splined for capacity to slide, a reciprocating member for rocking the shaft to effect actuation of the friction release means, a rotary cam for reciprocating said cam, a constantlylvibrating pawl, and means subject to governance by the measuring chain to control the activity of the pawl.

11. The combination in a flat knitting machine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of friction box control mechanism including a friction release actuating element; carried by the friction box, a'positionally fixed shaft wher'eto the element aforesaid is splined for capacity to slide, means for rotating the shaft to effect actuation of the friction reessence chine with a friction box rod, and a yarn carrier friction box wlth incorporated friction release means mounted on said rod; of

friction box control mechanism including a means intermittently actuated by the main shaft of the machine to connect and discon nect the friction box to and from the friction box rod, and control means actuated by the pattern chain to initiate and arrest operation of the first stated means and friction box at predetermined stages of the knitting? 7 15. In flat knitting machines including a friction box rod and actuating means therefor, an attachment means controlled by the pattern chain and primarily actuated by the main shaft, said attachment means being effective to automatically connect and disconnect the friction box to and from its actuating means, i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my 'name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,this 26th day 'of September, 1929.

WILBUR I. TEBO.

lease, and means, to lock the friction box against drifting with the rod after release c as, aforesaid.

12. The combination in a fiat knitting machine with a friction box rod,"and a yarn carrier friction box with incorporated fric- 1 and means operative upon rota- 13. The combination in a flat knitting ma- I 

